Friday, February 17, 2012

"Friending": Real life Update

How convenient it is that this article( link at end of blog) and story came out just after I wrote my previous blog on what happens when teens "friend" someone they don't really know. Here is the story: Someone from overseas somehow through the friend of a friend of a friend networking that happens on facebook, contacted a student at BC High school here in the Boston area. Slowly but surely he develops a "relationship" with her, posing as a teen girl. I 'm guessing much of this took place off the wall and in private messages. The student begins to share confidences and secrets with this new "friend", some of which must be somewhat juicy. New "friend" then blackmails this young student and threatens her that if she doesn't give him money, he will make public the secrets she has told her. According to the story, the she is actually a him who comes from abroad somewhere, and is a con man. Luckily, the girl told someone, and an alert went out to other students in the school who had also "friended" this person, to warn them of this scam.

My suggestion, especially if you choose not to scam your own teen as I suggested in yesterday's post, is to download this article and read it with your teen, and suggest that they "unfriend" anyone with whom they do not have a first hand friendship. Again, you can't make them do this, you can only suggest, because of course, unless it actually happens to them, (that's why I still suggest you pursue my suggestion) they will never think it could/would/might happen to them.

About Me

With over 30 years working with parents and kids, I think I have seen and heard just about everything. Surprise me, I always like a challenge and a good parenting story. I hope that with a little humor and understanding I can educate and share with you a new perspective.
My book: I Get It: Three Magic Words for Parents of Teens is available at my website: www.joanigeltman.com